Four Organs from Luebek Germany

 

I have had these four cards for several years. I think I must have purchased them as a group. Several traits link them together. I am going to treat them as a group in this longer post. One nice thing to me is that a previous owner made notes on these cards. I am going to rely on those notes primarily for this post. My thanks are expended to my friend Ed Tompkins who connected me with Melanie Edelman who translated the text on the cards into English. Also, thanks to Barry Jordan for transcribing some English that was difficult to decipher. Also, thanks to my wife Libby for help with this entry and so many other things.

Postcards 1, images 1 and 2  
Jacobi-Kirche Grossorgel

Lübeck - Jacobs Church - Large organ Gothic brick from 1300s Jacobs church still has the older small organ. Pre-Bach sound (resonance). Even today spiritual pre-Bach music is played every Thursday evening at 8 o clock.

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Photographs 2, images 3 and 4 

Lübeck Jacobi-Kirch Kleine Orgel

Lübeck- Jacobs church - small organ Gothic brick from the 1300s Completed in 1637 in breastwork and Ruckpositiv. The sound (resonance) from pre-Bach period was maintained. Spiritual music is played regularly at 8 o clock on Thursday evenings. (pre-Bach music) The Jacobs church has 2 organs. Still also a large organ. Lübeck is a city of organs. It has some of the oldest in Europe.

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Postcards 3, images 5 and 6 

Lübeck Marienkirche Mittelsmerggmit Orgel

Zerstört Restauriert - destroyed / restored) The English text: My dear Dr. McEacherin. I am sending you all the famous organs. Sorry I never heard them played on but was very much impressed so far. I am so glad, knowing you happy in your lovely home. Are you studying the Brahms?; and what about your lectures? (Ring!) I'll be in London from Sept 16 until end of Oct, then back! Leaving for our vacation Aug. 11, address above. 

Peierls Hotel Pension Gerlitzenhaus 

Much love. Lois WP under. practice practice. 

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Postcard 4 images 7 and 8

Lübeck Mariankirche Bachorgel

Bach organ destroyed but renovated/restored Dietrich Buxtehude played on this Dance of Death organ. When Bach visited him, he was excited about its sound. Here the evening music took place.

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Great Organs

Smaller Organ

Marienkirche Mittelsmerggmit

Lübeck Marienkirche

St Petersburg, FL, USA

Pasadena Community Church was built in 1959 to accommodate a growing suburban congregation. The organ was guild at the same time by the Moller firm. It has 60 ranks over 4 manuals. The database includes a note from 2013 that work was done in 2000 on the console. The building is a product of its time and has been well-maintained based on the images I have seen My card is in color and is in mint condition. The reverse gives information about the church and organ (and parking spaces). Also included is catalog and copyright information for the card.  

Cloister Church, Vreta, Sweden

 

Vreta, Sweden, Kloster Kyrka. This was one of the most confounding puzzles I have encountered on this postcard project. I had a tough time figuring out the town, the church, and instrument, pretty much every element. But I think I finally have gotten most of the details nailed down. The church shown is the Vreta Kloster Kyrka. The card also tells us that we have an “interior” view of the church. There is a Wiki for the facility. Based on questionable translations from Google the organ has work done most recently in the 1940’s; it would seem that it is currently not playable. My card is black-and-white and un-used. It has a price indication. There are also printing and publication details.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Asa, OH, USA

Methodism in Ada, OH began in 1852. The church edifice was built on Main Street a few years later. The organ no doubt followed shortly thereafter. The pipe organ database tells use there was an instrument present from 1930 built by the Toledo Organ Company, but there are no details. There is also another instrument listed for the Ada Methodist Church maybe the one shown in my postcard. Two instruments are in the database. Additional early pictures of the church and/or organ might help us know which instrument is shown in the card. My postcard is black and while and has been postally used. The postmark seems to Nevada, OH. There are publication and copyright details on the reverse, but no descriptive information is included. The front includes some additional catalog information.

St Mary's Cathedral, San Francisco, CA, USA

The organ for St Mary’s Cathedral San Francisco, saw built in 1970 by the Ruffatti firm of Italy. It has 87 ranks and more than 4500 pipes over 4 manuals. Its stunning console design has given it “iconic” status. My postcard shows the pipework in its elevated position, and the console. It is in black and white and is unused, though it has come price markings from a vendor. It has a catalog number, logo, and copyright information.

St Michan's, Belfast Ireland

 

The organ in St Michan's Ireland was built in the middle of the last century by Evans and Barr. It stands within a case build earlier (1732) by Cuvillie. According to Wiki there are three manuals. The myth goes that GF Handel practiced here in advance of the first performance of the oratorio Messiah.  My card is unused, though there is some staining on the reverse from what may be glue residue. It is black-and-white. The card identifies the construction year as 1724, and mentions that, "Handel is said to have played on the organ." This article would seem to be relevant and interesting, but I did not want to pay to access it. 

Porvoo, Finland (Cathedral)

Porvoo is a small city in Finland with about 50,000 inhabitants. It was founded by the 14th century. In Swedish the town is known as Borku. I have not been able to find any information about the organ in the cathedral. Just a video (organ with tuba) and some photographs. But no technical information about the instrument. My card is black and white, unused. The reverse includes the town name and " Tuomiokirkko" and "Domkyrkan" which both look like variations of church/cathedral. Also on the card is "Porvoom Kirjakauppa Borga Bokhandel, which may  be publication information.